I believe that I want the same for my kids that all mothers want…regardless of political affiliation.
As a mother, I want these 5 things:
1. As a mother, I want my kids to be able to enjoy the same traditions that I enjoyed growing up. They should be able to go fishing and crabbing in the local rivers with my father, just like I did. We didn’t have to worry about whether or not the fish were safe to eat.
2. As a mother, I want my kids to be able to run, play, swim, and breathe without having to carry an inhaler. While the tendency to develop asthma can be inherited, other environmental factors such as air pollution and automobile emissions can also cause the onset of asthma. The oldest of our four kids has been living with asthma since he was diagnosed in second grade. And even as I was packing his supplies for his college dorm room this summer, I was ensuring that his inhaler and other preventative medications were included. I really pray that his three younger sisters do not have to suffer with asthma.
3. As a mother, I want to trust that corporations and power companies do the right thing on their own to protect our environments. However, as Gina Carroll states in her 5 Reasons Why We Need The EPA:
“If there is one thing history has shown us, it’s that corporate polluters will continue to pollute until they are made to stop. In fact, they will fight vehemently for their right to dirty our air, water and land.”
4. As a mother, I want to be able to provide the basic necessities for my kids (housing, food, clothing, medical insurance, etc.) I get that we need jobs, especially in the African America community where the unemployment rate is about 16% for African Americans (which is almost double the national average according the US Department of Labor). But I can’t agree with creating jobs that will allow for more pollution to compromise the health of my children. To me, it’s not a matter of Jobs vs EPA. We need jobs and the EPA!
5. As a mother, I simply want my kids to breathe clean air. This is why I can’t put my faith in political campaign rhetoric or promises. I need to see results, which is why I support the Clean Air Act:
“The Clean Air Act is a law with a 40-year track record of cutting dangerous pollution to protect human health and the environment. Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this legislation has prevented more than 400,000 premature deaths and hundreds of millions of cases of respiratory and cardiovascular disease.”
According to the EPA website, the Clean Air Act Amendments will prevent over 230,000 early deaths in 2020. This is why the Clean Air Act is necessary, and this is why as a mother I am fighting to protect it.
As a mother, we all want these things, so please join me and thousands of other other moms and dads and sign up for the MOMS CLEAN AIR FORCE. Find out the multiple ways that you can TAKE ACTION and hold our politicians accountable for any decisions that would prevent the EPA from protecting our children’s future.
As a mother what do you want?